What Does The Lord Require Of You?

By Kent Heaton

The essence of God’s law has always been the same. Whether examining the first laws given man in Eden ; the laws governing early man in the days of Noah; the smoke of Abraham’s sacrifices as he followed the promises of God; the success and failure of the nation of Israel ; through the ages to modern man the Lord requires of all men certain things. There are things the Lord wants from man and expects man to obey. The creation is not at liberty to reject the will of the Creator without consequence. As the world was created and established within defined laws so man’s creation and life is established within divine laws.

The summation of the law of God given in Deuteronomy presents the case for Israel ’s obedience. The new generation of God’s people must heed the lessons of their fathers. Remembering the law of God was paramount to the success of the people as they entered the promised land. The question is posed in Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now, Israel , what does the Lord your God require of you”? There are five things listed in this text that present the fundamental nature of God’s will for man.

First, “fear the Lord your God.” The people of Israel had seen the mighty works of God from the beginning of deliverance from Egypt to the Jordan River . The ten plagues brought upon Egypt (Exodus 7-12) showed God’s power over all nations. The Red Sea was parted by the hand of God (Exodus 14), manna came from heaven, water from the rock and quail from the sea to nourish the people (Exodus 16-17; Numbers 11). Nations were defeated before the nation through God’s power (Exodus 17:8-16; Numbers 21,31). Fearing God is respecting the mighty power of God and what he can do (Isaiah 40; Matthew 10:28).

Second, “to walk in all his ways.” The path of man must be directed by the will of the Lord. “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). The wise man said, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7). The Lord requires walking and that walking must be on the path he sets forth.

Third, “to love Him.” Love is an active emotion that does not just respond with only words or thoughts but with action. The demonstration of love is keeping the commandments of the Lord (John 14:15). Love is demonstrated in our devotion to the Lord in everything we do (Luke 10:27). We love him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). As we fear the Lord and walk in his paths we express our love by obedience.

Fourth, “to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Being a child of God is a life of servitude. We are servants of the most high God. Our life is forfeit for Jesus Christ. This demands all we have to submit ourselves (James 4:7). It demands all of our heart and all of our soul nothing less will do.

Finally, “to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I commanded you today for your good.” Often people have the idea that as long as they love the Lord they do not have to follow any commands. Without keeping the commands and statutes of the Lord there will be no blessing. This one sums up the other four. &

What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?

It is well that we should ponder the privileges of the Christian life, but we must not forget that those privileges mean corresponding responsibilities; and it is also well to remember that we cannot fulfill the responsibilities, only as we enjoy by faith the privileges. To come to Christ, and to receive from Christ, are our privileges; and to abide in Christ, and to follow after Him, are our responsibilities.

To follow Christ, means at least three things; and these are—sacrifice, suffering, and glory.

1 Sacrifice. In the case of the disciples it meant leaving their nets (Matthew iv. 19, 20): with Matthew, forsaking the "receipt of custom” (Matthew ix. 9); and with the rich young ruler it was 14 sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor " (Luke 18: 22). To follow Christ means at least two things, namely, the denial of self itself (Matthew xvi. 24); and the putting Christ and His claims first (Luke ix. 57-62).

Suffering. Christ's distinct and definite command to Peter, as He tells him that he will have to die for Him, is "Follow Me" (John xxi. 19). Peter understood that to mean death (ii. Peter i. 14). There is a "cross" for every follower of Christ (Mark x. 21), and a death to the self-life, in order that we may bring forth fruit unto God (John xii. 24-26). Jordan with its baptism, Gethsemane with its bitter cup, Gabbatha with its fiendish mockery, Golgotha with its shame, the Cross with its suffering, the darkness with its cry, and Calvary with its death, have their counterpart in our experience.

3. Glory. It is to His followers that Christ promises that they shall "sit in the throne of His glory" (Matthew xix. 28); who shall be with Him, and also be honored by the Father (John xii. 26). Christ not only leads His followers to the Mount of Calvary to suffer with Him, but He also leads them to the Mount of Transfiguration, that they may be glorified with Him.

To follow Christ in holiness of life, in compassion of heart, in devotion of service, in abandonment of will, in patience of spirit, in earnestness of soul, and in loyalty to truth is evidence that we are His sheep (John 10:27). Surely this is the least we can do, even as Bartimaeus (Mark 10:52), and the noble band of women (Matt. 27:55). Of the former we read, “He followed Jesus in the way,” and of the latter we read, “which followed Jesus into Galilee , ministering unto Him.” & (Author Unknown)

The Irrationality of Defending Atheism, Deism and Relativism

By Bob Myhan

One cannot rationally defend atheism, deism and relativism because those who would defend them have implicitly renounced the preconditions of intelligibility. The atheist does this by denying the existence of the intelligent Creator. Assuming humans would exist, at all, if they were not created, their thoughts would be nothing more than the results of chemical reactions in the brain.

Without the intelligent, moral Creator that does exist, there could be neither right nor wrong, either morally or intellectually. Therefore, people would not be responsible for their thoughts or their actions. One could not help thinking what he thinks or doing what he does, any more than a dog can help barking or a cat meowing.

The deist renounces the preconditions of intelligibility by denying any supernatural revelation from God to man. Since man is both logical and moral, his Creator is also, of necessity, both logical and moral. But if the Creator never revealed Himself to man and if the Creator never gave to man laws of logic and behavior, man would not know how to reason nor how he ought to behave. Thus, the fact that man does reason and that he does hold others accountable for their actions is proof that God exists and that He has revealed laws of logic and laws of behavior.

Thus, neither atheists nor deists can consistently defend their respective philosophies. There can be no laws of logic or of human behavior without a lawgiver, who is above man in His thoughts and ways.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

As for the relativist—it cannot be absolutely true that nothing is absolutely true. For, even then, absolute relativism would be false. &